PM Modi inaugurates 3,000 flats for slum dwellers in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated 3,024 new flats for poor families as part of a slum rehabilitation project in south Delhi’s Kalkaji Extension.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated 3,024 new flats for poor families as part of a slum rehabilitation project in south Delhi’s Kalkaji Extension, describing the project as a symbol of the government’s efforts for inclusive development and its commitment to the economically weak sections of society.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hands over keys to slum dwellers of Bhoomiheen after inaugurating 3024 newly constructed flats at Kalkaji under ‘In-situ Slum Rehabilitation’ project, at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. (HT Photos)

Built by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the flats replace what were previously slums, also known as jhuggi jhopris (JJ), and are part of three such rehabilitation project in the Capital where housing has been a pain point, especially for the poor.

The development and the aspirations of big cities like Delhi are built on the hard work of the poor, Modi said, but, he added, “paradoxically, these poor people have been made to live in deplorable conditions”.

“When there is such an imbalance in one single city, who can we think of holistic development? In the Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, we have to fill this huge gap. That is why, the country is moving on the path of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas for everyone’s upliftment,” he said at the Vigyan Bhawan, where he handed over the first set of keys to those allotted the home.

The families were part of the erstwhile Bhoomiheen JJ cluster.

Adding that when their basic needs are secure, the poor “work hard to lift themselves out of poverty”, Modi assured that the government was working to turn Delhi into a city with amenities befitting the capital of a country.

“It was earlier believed that poverty is for the poor to deal with. Now, they are at the centre of our policies,” Modi said.

The flats inaugurated on Wednesday are the first in a three-phase process of slum rehabilitations at Kalkaji. Once the Bhoomiheen camp residents move in, the land they lived on will be used to build the next phase of constructions, which will provide flats to those currently living at Navjeevan camp, and Jawahar camp.

Among the people handed the keys to their new homes was 65-year-old Dharamvir, an automobile workshop supervisor who gave only one name. Dharamvir said he lived at the Bhoomiheen camp for close to 40 years. “But now we can live with dignity and respect, as people look down upon you when they get to know that we live in slums,” he said, after he and his wife received keys from the PM. “For decades, we have been living in unhygienic conditions with no basic facility. But now I have a house of my own,” he added.

In all, 575 families were given the keys to their flats on Wednesday. DDA, which has constructed the housing complex, has given allotment letters to 1,862 households, said Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who was present at the event.

According to a senior DDA official, who asked not to be named, “demand-cum-allotment letters” have been issued to beneficiaries. “As and when they deposit the amount, we will give them possession,” he said.

The 3,024 flats under Phase I have been constructed at a cost of about ₹345 crore. Public amenities like community parks, electric substations, a sewage treatment plant, dual water pipelines, lifts and underground reservoir for hygienic water supply have also been provided, DDA said.

Urban planner AK Jain, former planning commission at DDA, said: “This is an important project, though it got delayed due to litigation and other issues. But in-situ rehabilitation is the way to go. The government needs expedite the process so that people can be given proper housing.”

The opposition Congress, however, slammed Modi for claiming credit for a project started under its administration in 2013, when the party was in power in the Capital as well as the Union government.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said in a press conference that the project was planned and started by the government headed by Sheila Dikshit.

“ Modiji is fond of ribbon cutting but this in-situ rehabilitation project was launched by then chief minister Sheila Dikshit on September 18, 2013,” Shrinate said.

The first phase with 3,024 flats started in 2013 and was scheduled to be completed in 2016.

“The first phase to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister has been completed after a delay of six years and its cost has gone up 68 per cent. The first phase cost increased from ₹206 crore to 345 crore due to the delay,” Shrinate said.

The PM also listed out various Delhi-specific initiatives, including road infrastructure projects, such as construction of Eastern and Western peripheral expressways, road projects worth ₹50,000 crore under construction Dwarka Expressway and UER-II, expansion of Delhi Metro network from 190 kms to 400kms in the last eight years, and the construction of Bharat Vandana Park by the Centre.

Rehabilitation of slum dwellers to built-up homes has been a key poll promise of all three major political parties in the Capital -- BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- especially during assembly and Lok Sabha elections. But this is the first project to be completed, almost 11 years after it was conceived.

AAP and BJP are also locked in a bitter battle of narratives ahead of the civic elections due to be announced soon in the Capital, and the assembly elections set to take place in Gujarat later this year.

“Today is a historical day. The PM’s vision to provide housing to poor people in slums, ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makan’ (a house for every slum), is taking shape today, as people living Delhi’s slum clusters have got a house in multistoried buildings... The work on more than 10,000 flats under in-situ rehabilitation is going on in various parts of the city by the DDA,” Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena.

There was no official comment by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party on the event. The party did not respond to request for comment.